Rules of Engagement

Eight Proven Rules of Engagement To Resolve Cultural and Religious Conflicts Through Common Ground Thinking

By Wayne Jacobsen

These seven Rules of Engagement area at the core of our training and mediation in Common Ground Thinking Derived from the ideals of the Declaration of Independence and the First Amendment, these simple rules can reframe the debate in cultural and religious conflicts that help groups achieve Fourth Option Agreements to work in the best interests of all parties involved.

Rule #1
You can’t compel people to change their worldview.

Rule #2No one should be asked to participate in a society biased against themselves.

Rule #3
Vilifying those who disagree with you says more about you than it does about them.

Rule #4
Making room at the table for divergent views does not validate those views.

Rule #5
You best protect your civic freedoms by protecting those who disagree with you.

Rule #6
If you do not include all the stakeholders you cannot fix the problem.